Mounts for an optical structure having a grooved protruding member with a damping ring disposed in or on the groove and methods of mounting an optical structure using such mounts

Abstract

An improved mount for, and method of mounting, an optical structure having a grooved/relieved protruding member with a damping ring therein or on is provided. The grooved/relieved protruding member may extend from the optical structure, and an upper element having a first opening extending therethrough may receive at least a portion of the grooved/relieved member in the first opening. The upper element may include second and third openings therein that operate along with the first opening and a tightening mechanism. Tightening of the tightening mechanism into at least one of the third opening and the second opening causes the ends of the head portions to draw toward each other so that the first opening of the upper element tightens around the at least a portion of the grooved/relieved protruding member.

1 . A method of mounting an optical structure, comprising the steps of:
 forming and/or providing an optical structure comprising at least one mirror panel, said at least one mirror panel having at least one reflective surface and at least one back surface substantially opposite said reflective surface, wherein said back surface has a protruding member being part of a mount for mounting said optical structure, said protruding member having a first portion extending from said back surface of said optical structure, a second portion, and a groove defining said first and second portions on each side of said groove such that said groove of said protruding member dissipates and/or eliminates one or more stresses passing through said mount and affecting said optical structure;   connecting, forming, providing, molding, bonding, and/or adhering a damping ring in and/or to at least one of the groove, the protruding member and the optical structure;   forming and/or providing an upper element of said mount comprising a first opening extending therethrough, such first opening forming two arms in said upper element, each of said two arms having a head portion and ending at an end thereof;   sliding said first opening of said mount around and/or over at least said second portion of said protruding member; and   tightening said first opening of said upper element of said mount around said at least said second portion of said protruding member by inserting a tightening mechanism into a second opening located through one of said head portions of said upper element and by further inserting and tightening said tightening mechanism into a third opening in said other head portion of said upper element so that said tightening mechanism draws said two ends of said head portions toward each other.   
     
     
         2 . The method of mounting an optical structure as recited in  claim 1 , wherein at least one of:
 (i) the damping ring operates to dampen said one or more stresses affecting the grooved protruding member, thereby improving the stress resistance of the grooved protruding member;   (ii) the damping ring operates to handle tension and to stretch and/or flex at and/or on one portion of the damping ring while compressing at and/or on another portion of the damping ring, thereby improving the stress resistance of the grooved protruding member;   (iii) the damping ring is flexibly resilient such that the damping ring operates to return to its rest position and/or original configuration in the grooved protruding member when said one or more stresses are not acting on the damping ring;   (iv) the damping ring comprises polyurethane and/or any other compound or material which shows one or more large mechanical losses, thereby at least one of reducing motion, dampening the one or more stresses affecting the grooved protruding member and damping one or more results of the mount;   (v) the damping ring operates to reduce the tendency of at least one of the grooved protruding member and the groove to stretch and/or compress;   (vi) at least one of one or more portions of the grooved protruding member and one or more portions of the damping ring bend along, transversely to and/or away from an axis of the grooved protruding member and/or a plane including the axis of the grooved protruding member, the axis of the grooved protruding member extending through the first portion and the second portion of the grooved protruding member;   (vii) at least one of one or more portions of the grooved protruding member and one or more portions of the damping ring bend along, transversely to and/or away from a longitudinal axis of the grooved protruding member and/or a plane including the axis of the grooved protruding member, the longitudinal axis extending through a surface of the first portion of the grooved protruding member that is in contact with the optical structure and through a surface of the second portion of the grooved protruding member, the surface of the second portion of the grooved protruding member being located on the opposite side of the grooved protruding member from the surface of the first portion of the grooved protruding member and the surfaces of the first and second portions of the grooved protruding member being substantially parallel to each other;   (viii) the one or more large mechanical losses comprise a conversion of motion to heat, thereby reducing any motion of the grooved protruding member and/or any other portion of the mount that would result from the one or more stresses and dampening the one or more stresses affecting the grooved protruding member; and   (ix) said one or more stresses comprise at least one of: connection and/or clamping stress in between said first and second arms, stress from said tightening of said tightening element, stress from rotating said tightening element, stress passing through said upper element, stress passing through said protruding member, sheer stress, rotational stress and vibrational stress.   
     
     
         3 . The method of mounting an optical structure as recited in  claim 2 , further comprising at least one of:
 (i) adhering, molding and/or bonding the damping ring to at least one of the grooved protruding member and the optical structure using an adhesive or bonding material and/or element;   (ii) adhesively adhering the damping ring to the grooved protruding member;   (iii) adhesively adhering the damping ring to the optical structure;   (iv) adhesively adhering the damping ring to the grooved protruding member on and/or at at least one surface of the damping ring;   (v) adhesively adhering the damping ring to the grooved protruding member on and/or at at least two surfaces of the damping ring;   (vi) adhesively adhering the damping ring to the grooved protruding member on and/or at at least one surface of the damping ring and to the optical structure on and/or at at least another surface of the damping ring;   (vii) adhesively adhering the damping ring to the grooved protruding member on and/or at at least two surfaces of the damping ring and to the optical structure on and/or at at least a third surface of the damping ring; and   (viii) disposing the damping ring in the mount without the use of the adhesive or bonding material and/or element.   
     
     
         4 . The method of mounting an optical structure as recited in  claim 3 , wherein the adhesive or bonding material and/or element operates to prevent slippage of the damping ring from the mount, thereby enhancing at least one of the dampening of the one or more stresses affecting the grooved protruding member and the tension, stretch, flex and/or compression effect of the damping ring. 
     
     
         5 . The method of mounting an optical structure as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising the step of integrally forming said protruding member with at least one of: said at least one mirror panel, said back surface of at least one mirror panel, said optical structure and a back surface of said optical structure. 
     
     
         6 . The method of mounting an optical structure as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising the step of bonding said first portion of said protruding member to at least one of said back surface of said at least one mirror panel, said at least one mirror panel, said optical structure and a back surface of said optical structure. 
     
     
         7 . The method of mounting an optical structure as recited in  claim 6 , wherein the step of bonding said first portion of said protruding member to said back surface of said at least one mirror panel comprises at least one of: fusing and adhering. 
     
     
         8 . The method of mounting an optical structure as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising disposing said groove on said protruding member such that said first portion of said protruding member is smaller than said second portion of said protruding member. 
     
     
         9 . The method of mounting an optical structure as recited in  claim 8 , further comprising:
 placing a surface of said first portion of said protruding member in contact with said back surface of said optical structure; and   sizing and/or shaping said surface of said first portion of said protruding member such that said surface of said first portion has at least one of:
 (i) a smaller diameter than a lateral cross-section and/or a bottom surface of said second portion of said protruding member that is disposed in said first opening of said upper element; and 
 (ii) a smaller surface area than a lateral cross-section and/or a bottom surface of said second portion that is disposed in said first opening of said upper element. 
   
     
     
         10 . The method of mounting an optical structure as recited in  claim 8 , further comprising sizing and/or shaping at least one of said first portion of said protruding member and said second portion of said protruding member such that said first portion of said protruding member has a smaller volume than said second portion of said protruding member. 
     
     
         11 . The method of mounting an optical structure as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising the step of forming a base element of said mount with said upper element of said mount. 
     
     
         12 . The method of mounting an optical structure as recited in  claim 11 , wherein at least one of:
 (i) said base element includes a mounting structure for mounting said mount to another structure;   (ii) said upper element extends from said base element;   (iii) said base element is formed integrally with said upper element;   (iv) said one or more stresses comprises at least one of: connection and/or clamping stress in between said first and second arms, stress from said tightening of said tightening element, stress from rotating said tightening element, stress passing through said base element, stress passing through said upper element, stress passing through said protruding member, sheer stress, rotational stress and vibrational stress;   (v) said base element extends from said upper element at an angle such that said base element and said upper element are at least one of: not substantially co-linear and/or co-planar; and substantially co-linear and/or co-planar;   (vi) said integrally formed upper and base elements of said mount being a metal alloy having a low coefficient of thermal expansion comprising at least one of aluminum and a nickel iron alloy having a low coefficient of thermal expansion;   (vii) said base element is at least one of: any geometric shape, any geometric shape such that said base element has a smaller volume than said upper element, chamfered, sloped and tapered; and   (viii) said mounting structure comprises at least one of:
 (a) a threaded member extending from said another structure for cooperative screwed attachment within a threaded opening in said upper element; and 
 (b) a threaded member extending from said upper element for cooperative screwed attachment within a threaded opening in said another structure. 
   
     
     
         13 . The method of mounting an optical structure as recited in  claim 11 , further comprising the step of forming supporting means for said base element of said mount for securing said optical structure to a support structure. 
     
     
         14 . The method of mounting an optical structure as recited in  claim 13 , wherein said supporting means comprises at least one of:
 (i) a threaded member extending from said support structure for cooperative screwed attachment within a threaded opening in said base element; and   (ii) a threaded member extending from said base element for cooperative screwed attachment within a threaded opening in said support structure.   
     
     
         15 . The method of mounting an optical structure as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising sizing and/or shaping said groove such that the groove is at least one of:
 (i) a space between said optical structure and at least one of said second portion of said protruding member and said upper element of said mount such that said optical structure is spaced away from said at least one of said second portion of said protruding member and said upper element; and   (ii) operating to achieve and/or maintain at least one of: dimensional stability, a predetermined degree of flatness and a high degree of flatness of at least one of: about λ/10, about λ/15, about λ/20, about λ/30, between about λ/10 and about λ/15, between about λ/10 and about λ/20, between about λ/10 and about λ/30, between about λ/15 and about λ/20, between about λ/15 and about λ/30 and between about λ/20 and about λ/30.   
     
     
         16 . The method of mounting an optical structure as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 extending said groove of said protruding member along a perimeter of said first portion of said protruding member; and   sizing and/or shaping said groove such that the groove is at least one of:
 (i) having a substantially circular shape; 
 (ii) being of any geometric shape; and 
 (iii) including at least one of: one or more right angles, one or more slopes, one or more chamfered surfaces having a consistent slope, one or more chamfered surfaces having a changing convex slope, one or more chamfered surfaces having a changing concave slope, and one or more tapers. 
   
     
     
         17 . The method of mounting an optical structure as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising forming said groove at substantially a right angle such that a first portion of an outer surface of said protruding member extends from said second portion of said protruding member inwardly substantially parallel to said surface of said first portion of said protruding member and a second portion of said outer surface of said protruding member extends from the first portion of said outer surface vertically substantially at a right angle and/or perpendicular to said surface of said first portion of said protruding member. 
     
     
         18 . The method of mounting an optical structure as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising forming at least two extensions that are in communication with said groove and are extending from said first portion of said protruding member such that a recess is defined between the at least two extensions for said optical structure to be positioned therein. 
     
     
         19 . The method of mounting an optical structure as recited in  claim 18 , further comprising sizing and/or shaping said at least two extensions such that said at least two extensions at least one of: (i) do not extend outwardly beyond said first portion of said protruding member; and (ii) taper and/or slope inwardly away from said groove towards said optical structure. 
     
     
         20 . The method of mounting an optical structure as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising forming one or more reliefs such that said one or more reliefs are in communication with at least one of:
 (i) said first opening, said one or more reliefs being positioned in and/or on a perimeter of said first opening and said one or more reliefs operating to reduce physical contact between one or more surfaces of said protruding member and one or more surfaces of said upper element of said mount, thereby reducing and/or eliminating transfer of one or more stresses between said upper element of said mount and said protruding member; and   (ii) at least said second portion of said protruding member, said one or more reliefs being positioned in and/or on a perimeter of said at least said second portion of said protruding member and said one or more reliefs operating to reduce physical contact between one or more surfaces of said protruding member and one or more surfaces of said upper element of said mount, thereby reducing and/or eliminating transfer of one or more stresses between said upper element of said mount and said protruding member.   
     
     
         21 . The method of mounting an optical structure as recited in  claim 20 , wherein said one or more reliefs are formed such that: (i) said one or more reliefs extend a predetermined distance radially from said first opening towards an exterior of said upper element when said one or more reliefs are positioned in and/or on said perimeter of said first opening; and (ii) said one or more reliefs extend a predetermined distance radially from said at least second portion of said protruding member towards an interior of said protruding member when said one or more reliefs are positioned in and/or on said perimeter of said at least said second portion of said protruding member. 
     
     
         22 . The method of mounting an optical structure as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said first portion of said protruding member has a surface that is in contact with said surface of said optical structure and said groove is spaced away from said optical structure such that said groove is disposed at a location along said protruding member that is at a predetermined distance from said surface of said first portion. 
     
     
         23 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein at least one of:
 said optical structure is taken from the group consisting of: one or more hollow retroreflectors, one or more solid retroreflectors, one or more mirror panels, one or more optical filters, one or more interferometers and one or more roof mirrors;   said optical structure comprises at least one of at least one mirror panel, at least one mirror panel having a reflective surface and a back surface where said back surface extends in a plane substantially parallel to a plane of said reflective surface, a reflective panel, a refractive panel, an optical filter and at least two reflective panels that operate to at least one change a direction of light and retroreflect light;   said at least two reflective panels each have at least one reflective surface and at least one back surface substantially opposite said reflective surface;   said protruding member and/or said first portion of said protruding member extends from said back surface of at least one of said at least two reflective panels;   said optical structure has at least one reflective surface and at least one back surface, said at least one back surface extending in a plane substantially parallel to a plane of said at least one reflective surface;   said protruding member and/or said first portion of said protruding member extends from said at least one back surface of said optical structure;   said protruding member is disposed between said optical structure and said upper element such that said optical structure is at least one of disposed on and in connection with a part of said first portion of said protruding member and said upper element is disposed at least one of substantially on, in connection with and around at least part of said second portion of said protruding member;   said protruding member comprises a solid cylinder;   said first and second portions of said protruding member are solid; and   said optical structure is centered in said recess.   
     
     
         24 . The method as recited in  claim 23 , wherein said protruding member and/or said first portion of said protruding member is at least one of:
 (i) integrally formed with said back surface of at least one of said at least one mirror panel, said at least one of said at least two reflective panels and/or said optical structure; and   (ii) bonded to said back surface of at least one of said at least one mirror panel, said at least one of said at least two reflective panels and/or said optical structure.